WARNING: you
have 15 players, which is over the roster
limit of 13. We will go ahead and rate the team as if you have been given an exemption by the rest of your
league. But for a more realistic assessment, you might want to go back and
cut down to 13

We think you're looking good at quarterback and running back. Your squad is therefore easy for us to like despite a bit of weakness at the receiver position. But as weaknesses go, this is one is survivable. It's usually relatively easy to
find fill-in guys on a weekly basis until a better player emerges during the season. As long as you stay on top of things inseason, you should be the league favorite or very close to it.

Players we particularly like on this team include Montee Ball, Russell Wilson, Matt Forte, Steve Hauschka, the Bills defense, and the Broncos defense. We have all these guys ranked ahead of where they are typically being drafted.

Bottom line:

With great inseason management, we think you have about a 90 percent chance of making the playoffs.

With good inseason management, we think you have about a 85 percent chance of making the playoffs.

With average inseason management, we think you have a 78 percent chance of making the playoffs.

In any event, we wish you the best of luck. Here's hoping all your weeks are like week 9 of 2013:

We have Matt Ryan rated #9 among quarterbacks, which makes him a less-than-stellar starter in this league. But we like the selection of our #10-rated QB, Russell Wilson, to go with him. Hopefully between the two of them, you should be able to cobble together some good production at the position, but this strategy always carries with it the downside that you'll drive yourself crazy trying to decide who to start from week to week.

Incidentally, these two have a terrific combined schedule and a decent playoff schedule too. If you simply played the one with the better matchup each week, this is the schedule you'd face:

Nice work here. We like both your starting running backs, as our projections indicate that they give you a combined 5.4 point-per-game advantage over an average opponent in this league. Our projections have Matt Forte ranked third and Montee Ball ranked fifth.

Trent Richardson should be a good third running back.

Dexter McCluster is a solid depth pick.

WR Summary:

Your starting receivers should, as a unit, be adequate but not great. In particular we like Pierre Garcon as a second WR. Randall Cobb is our 10th ranked WR, and we have Garcon at #15.

Reggie Wayne should be a good third receiver; he's a likely flex starter. But we are not at all excited about Danny Amendola as a fourth WR.

TE Summary:

Though neither of them is elite, you have two viable starting tight ends in Kyle Rudolph and Jason Witten. If one of them breaks out, or if you play the matchups well, you'll probably get good production from the position.

Kicker Summary:

With Steve Hauschka, you should be above average at the position.

Defense Summary:

Between the Broncos and the Bills, you should get above average production here.

Schedule Analysis

At the bottom of the table, the Relative Strength row shows you how strong we project your team to be, relative to your usual strength, in that week. This accounts for byes and matchups.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

Matt Ryan

NO

CIN

TB

MIN

NYG

CHI

BAL

DET

TB

CAR

CLE

ARI

GB

PIT

NO

Russell Wilson

GB

SD

DEN

WAS

DAL

STL

CAR

OAK

NYG

KC

ARI

SF

PHI

SF

ARI

Montee Ball

IND

KC

SEA

ARI

NYJ

SF

SD

NE

OAK

STL

MIA

KC

BUF

SD

CIN

Matt Forte

BUF

SF

NYJ

GB

CAR

ATL

MIA

NE

GB

MIN

TB

DET

DAL

NO

DET

Dexter McCluster

KC

DAL

CIN

IND

CLE

JAX

WAS

HOU

BAL

PIT

PHI

HOU

NYG

NYJ

JAX

Trent Richardson

NYJ

HOU

NE

MIA

SD

ARI

CLE

SEA

DEN

SD

KC

STL

SF

KC

BUF

Danny Amendola

MIA

MIN

OAK

KC

CIN

BUF

NYJ

CHI

DEN

IND

DET

GB

SD

MIA

NYJ

Randall Cobb

SEA

NYJ

DET

CHI

MIN

MIA

CAR

NO

CHI

PHI

MIN

NE

ATL

BUF

TB

Pierre Garcon

HOU

JAX

PHI

NYG

SEA

ARI

TEN

DAL

MIN

TB

SF

IND

STL

NYG

PHI

Reggie Wayne

DEN

PHI

JAX

TEN

BAL

HOU

CIN

PIT

NYG

NE

JAX

WAS

CLE

HOU

DAL

Kyle Rudolph

STL

NE

NO

ATL

GB

DET

BUF

TB

WAS

CHI

GB

CAR

NYJ

DET

MIA

Jason Witten

SF

TEN

STL

NO

HOU

SEA

NYG

WAS

ARI

JAX

NYG

PHI

CHI

PHI

IND

Steve Hauschka

GB

SD

DEN

WAS

DAL

STL

CAR

OAK

NYG

KC

ARI

SF

PHI

SF

ARI

Buffalo Bills

CHI

MIA

SD

HOU

DET

NE

MIN

NYJ

KC

MIA

NYJ

CLE

DEN

GB

OAK

Denver Broncos

IND

KC

SEA

ARI

NYJ

SF

SD

NE

OAK

STL

MIA

KC

BUF

SD

CIN

Relative Strength

98

100

100

100

96

102

99

102

90

101

106

101

100

102

97

100

Schedule and Matchup Notes:

Please note that the Relative strength numbers above account for both byes and matchups.

Remember that you might have starters on bye in a given week, but still have a high relative strength.
This could occur because of favorable matchups, or it might be because you are projected to be missing
less production than an average opponent will (your opponents have to deal with byes too).

Trent Richardson is out in week 5, but your opponent will likely have comparable issues with byes.

In weeks 4, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, and 12 you'll probably be better off than your opponent, as far as byes are concerned.

Potential Free Agents

Listed in order of preference. We don't know exactly who is available in your league, but here is a list of players who might be available and could be upgrades over some of your depth players, listed in order of preference. Your players are listed in red for comparison. Players who might not mesh well with the bye weeks of your key players are grayed out.

Projections and Player Summaries

Player

Cmp

Att

YD

Y/A

TD

INT

Rsh

YD

TD

FPT

Rank

Matt Ryan

381

610

4362

7.2

30

16

32

80

1

323.1

9

Russell Wilson

287

430

3436

8.0

25

10

90

482

3

318.0

10

Matt Ryan - Matt Ryan improved steadily as a passer from 2010-2012, going from 3,705 yards passing with 28 TDs and just nine interceptions thrown during 2010 to 4,177 yards passing, 29 TDs and 12 interceptions thrown in 2011 and finishing 2012 with 4,719 yards passing, with 32 TDs and 14 interceptions thrown. However, during the 2013 season Ryan hit a plateau in his numbers (even though he attempted a career-high 651 passes and completed a career-high 439 passes) with 439/651 for 4,515 yards passing, 26 TDs and 17 interceptions. His yardage and TD numbers dipped enough to bounce him down to #10 among all fantasy passers last year after finishing sixth among all fantasy quarterbacks during 2012. A major part of Ryan's (and the Falcons') struggles during last year's 4-12 disaster of a season was due to the early loss of #1 wide receiver Julio Jones (lost after week five, 2013 due to injury). Jones had over 100 yards in three of the five games he appeared in last season, and 99 yards receiving in a fourth, before going down to a fractured foot (the second time he's broken the foot in the same place). During the first five games of the season - with Jones in the lineup - Ryan threw for over 300 yards three times, over 400 yards once, and he connected for two TDs per game (10 over the first five contests) with just three total interceptions during that span of time. After Jones went down, Ryan had over 300 yards passing in just three other contests all year, no games over 400, and threw 14 of his 17 interceptions during the final two-thirds of the season.
Compounding the woes at wide receiver, veteran Roddy White only managed 93 targets for 63/711/3 receiving over parts of 13 games last season - he was hampered for a long stretch of the season with a high ankle sprain and pulled hamstring and didn't really recover top form until late in the year. With his top two threats at wide receiver absent for long stretches of the season, it is small wonder that Ryan's numbers regressed during 2013.
Ryan's been among the top-ten fantasy quarterbacks for four straight seasons, though, playing in all 16 games for the past four years - Ryan's durability hasn't been an issue at all thus far in his pro career. Ryan is just now entering the prime years of his career at 29 years of age. He is the linchpin of the Atlanta offense - Ryan handled 651 of the 659 passes attempted during regular-season by the Falcon's last year. With both Jones and White on the mend, the 2014 campaign looks bright for Ryan and his fantasy owners, though his fantasy owners or those considering drafting him will want to monitor Jones' and White's recoveries during training camp. Harry Douglas is a solid #3 wide receiver, and proved last season he can step into the starting lineup and produce respectable numbers (132 targets for 85/1,067/2 receiving in relief of Jones and White last year) - but there is no denying that Douglas is not the same level of threat as Jones at this level.

Russell Wilson - Russell Wilson has outperformed common expectations from day one in Seattle, beginning with a terrific rookie training camp in 2012 and leading up to a Super Bowl championship in 2013. Wilson has all the characteristics that Pete Carroll covets in a quarterback: he is smart, coachable, accurate, mobile, and creative. He has shown the ability to put up big passing numbers when his team gets behind (as demonstrated, for example, by his 385 passing yards in the 2012 playoff loss to the Falcons), but such situations arise infrequently. Seattle is built to win with defense and a strong running game, and Wilson doesn't air it out enough to be a top-tier fantasy QB. Consider him a low-end QB1 or, preferably, a high-end QB2 with decent upside potential if the Seahawks' defense, for whatever reason, is much less dominant this year than last.

Player

Rsh

YD

Y/Rsh

TD

Rec

YD

TD

FPT

Rank

Matt Forte

270

1188

4.4

8

57

445

2

285.3

3

Montee Ball

255

1148

4.5

11

42

315

1

266.3

5

Trent Richardson

180

675

3.8

6

27

200

1

156.5

33

Dexter McCluster

45

203

4.5

1

34

350

2

107.3

45

Montee Ball - In 2014, it's Ball's time to shine. Montee Ball was selected in the second-round of the 2013 NFL draft with the vision that he would one day become the lead back for the Broncos. Now is the time the team has been waiting for. With Knowshon Moreno moving on to the Miami Dolphins in free agency, Ball becomes the starting running back on the league's most dangerous offense.
Ball's rookie season got off to a rough start in 2013. Fumbling and pass-protection problems kept him from winning the starting job in training camp. During these trials and tribulations, Ball showed great mental strength and focus as he continued to work hard in order to get better.
He began the regular season splitting time with Ronnie Hillman as the primary backup behind Moreno. As the season progressed, Ball began to earn more playing time. After Hillman fumbled near the goalline against the Colts, Ball had the RB2 job in Denver locked up.
Ball became more patient as a runner the more experience he gained. This helped him maximize the number of yards he would gain on each carry. Instead of trying to do too much, Ball let his blocks fully develop then hit the hole at full steam.
He finished the regular season on such a high note that it's most certainly going to carry over to this year.
Over the final six weeks of 2013, only Jamaal Charles (6.6) averaged more yards per carry than Ball (6.5, 52-337). Ball also led the NFL in percentage of rushes for first downs (40.4 percent) and carries of 10 or more yards (21.2 percent) during final six weeks of 2013.
Moreno finished 2013 as the 5th-best fantasy running back, and with a similar role this year Ball could do the same thing. He's a better runner than Moreno and has a better nose for the end zone, so it's not out of the question to think that Ball could best the fantasy production that Moreno had last year.
This makes Montee Ball a first-round pick in most fantasy leagues. If he falls to the second round it would be a tremendous value for your team.

Matt Forte - Forte exceeded every expectation possible last season, including his own. No matter what the situation, Forte continued to push on, and proved that he's still one of the most under-rated backs in the league. A repeat of last season seems unlikely, yet the table seems set for Forte to go it again. The threat that Michael Bush would steal goal line carries is now gone, and rookie Ka'Deem Carey certainly won't steal a ton of carries. The offense is a year older and a year more experienced under Marc Trestman. Everyone seems poised to take a step forward, including Forte. With no real competition behind him, if Forte stays healthy, he's going to have a great chance for a top five finish.

Dexter McCluster - While the Titans didn't give Dexter McCluster a huge contract in free agency, they did appear to overpay him to make sure that he signed on in Tennessee. McCluster should feature prominently on special teams, but his contract suggests he will also be used a lot on offense. Unless Bishop Sankey establishes himself as the third down back, that role should be McCluster's. That should be the floor of his expectations.

Trent Richardson - Trent Richardson scored double-digit touchdowns in his rookie season with the Browns in 2012. He also totaled 51 receptions and nearly rushed for 1,000 yards, earning him a 9th place ranking among fantasy running backs. Then he was traded to Indianapolis in early 2013 where he regressed to the point of not being a weekly start in fantasy leagues. He finished 34th. What should we expect in his second year with the Colts? This time around he'll be a full participant in the Colts off season activities including training camp. He'll be well-versed in the offense and will have no excuses if he fails to consistently perform. His 3.3 career yards per carry average is a shockingly low, which may be a clue looking ahead to the future. One of Richardson's strengths is his receiving ability. In 2012, the Colts had a league low 34 receptions to running backs. That jumped up to 84 in 2013. Now that Donald Brown is out of the picture, Richardson should be the main beneficiary of those remaining targets. There are signs that he will rebound this year, which could result in a positive fantasy season.

Player

Rsh

YD

TD

Rec

YD

Y/Rec

TD

FPT

Rank

Randall Cobb

10

130

1

82

1107

13.5

8

261.7

10

Pierre Garcon

2

12

0

86

1066

12.4

6

231.8

15

Reggie Wayne

0

0

0

68

870

12.8

5

187.0

32

Danny Amendola

1

5

0

52

614

11.8

4

138.9

59

Danny Amendola - Year one of the Amendola Experiment was a bit of a bummer, as he missed four games and didn't come close to replacing Wes Welker. Not surprisingly, Amendola's year ended around the same totals he normally finishes with. He has missed nine games in the last two years (24 over the last three, if you count the 5 games he missed in 2011)and it's safe to assume he'll miss time again this year. That makes him a shaky receiver to depend on, made more difficult for the fact that the Patriots are expected to use a lot more three-wide sets this year (per ESPN Boston) to offset the lack of tight end talent. While that keeps Amendola on the field (if healthy) it also means the ball could be spread around a lot. Speaking of spread around, he's also going to have to wrest targets away from Julian Edelman, who had a tremendous 2013 and looks to be poised to build on that. The plus side for Amendola is that three-wide sets should give him more chances to catch the ball while his chemistry with Brady before he got hurt was solid.

Randall Cobb - Cobb was expected to post big numbers last year. His break-out 2012 season appeared to set him up for continued success under a smart coach with a top-shelf quarterback. He was, indeed, posting pretty solid statistics before breaking his tibia against Baltimore. He came back in the final game of the season against the Bears and posted two receptions for two big-play touchdowns. At full strength, with Aaron Rodgers throwing him the ball, Cobb is poised to make his fantasy owners happy in 2013.

Pierre Garcon - Foot injuries turned Pierre Garcon's first season in Washington into a disappointment. He was only able to play for 10 games, and was ineffectual for many of those. Garcon mustered just 44 receptions and 633 yards. Uncertainty surrounded Garcon's foot yet again in the 2013 preseason, but he insisted he would be able to play through the pain. And play through the pain he did; to the tune of an NFL-leading 113 receptions. Garcon was the lone bright spot in an otherwise forgettable offensive attack. This year, with Robert Griffin healthy and Jay Gruden calling the shots, there's every reason to think Garcon's outlook remains bright. The addition of DeSean Jackson assuredly means Garcon is unlikely to match last year's reception total, but the fact that Garcon will no longer be the sole focus of opposing team's top cornerbacks could mean more scoring opportunities. A fair trade off.

Reggie Wayne - Reggie Wayne went 11 consecutive years of not missing a single game, then week 7 of last year saw him tear his ACL ending his season. The injury ended his consecutive games played streak and severely hindered the Colts passing offense. Wayne is expected to be a full participant in training camp and has his sights set on picking up where he left off. If there are no setbacks, Wayne should be one of Andrew Luck's top receiving targets this year, perhaps only being bested by third year pro, T.Y. Hilton. Wayne turns 36 in November and he is coming off a major knee injury. There are definitely whispers in the fantasy community suggesting that his stock will take a dip this season. He is a focused player who takes conditioning seriously, so if there is one wide receiver in the league who bucks the trend of age and overcoming injury, it's Wayne.

Player

Rec

YD

Y/Rec

TD

FPT

Rank

Kyle Rudolph

67

663

9.9

6

170.3

7

Jason Witten

64

736

11.5

5

167.6

8

Kyle Rudolph - Rudolph was on his way to a decent season last year before he was lost for the season with a foot injury. He'll be back at full strength this season and taking on a prominent role in Norv Turner's offense. Turner's offense has turned out some great fantasy tight ends in the past, and Rudolph's size and athleticism should be perfect for it. Look for Rudolph to return to his 2012 stats and make a big push for a contract extension next season.

Jason Witten - Fantasy owners seem unexcited at the prospect of drafting Jason Witten every year, and then feel stupid for hesitating at season's end. The Cowboy's stalwart is building an ironclad Hall of Fame career, and at 32 years old has shown no signs of slowing. Last season Witten caught 72 receptions for 851 yards and 8 touchdowns; it's those 8 touchdowns that should make fantasy owners smile because Witten's one historical weakness has been scoring productivity. Many are surprised to learn Witten ranked behind only Julius Thomas and Rob Gronkowski in yards per route run from the slot. The X-factor when drafting Witten is the status of the offensive line. Witten is an elite blocker and the Cowboys have been willing to forego his receiving skills in order to keep Tony Romo upright. However, it's worth noting that Witten was asked to pass block only 14% of the time in 2013. Don't overthink things, Witten remains a top 5 fantasy option particularly in PPR leagues.

Player

FGM

FGA

XPM

XPA

FPT

Rank

Steve Hauschka

33

37

45

45

144.0

2

Steve Hauschka - Clint Gresham is back for a fifth season as the long snapper. Back for a seventh year is punter is Jon Ryan, who also serves as the holder. Potential free agent kicker Steve Hauschka was re-signed to a 3-year deal in March. He comes off his best year yet in 2013, when he hit 33 of 35 (94.3%) on field goals and added 44 extra points. The Seahawks ranked 7th in attempted kicking points last year for their first top ten finish since 2007.

Player

Sack

FR

INT

TD

Yd/G

Pt/G

FPT

Rank

Denver Broncos

43

10

16

6

315

21.3

113.8

4

Buffalo Bills

48

9

18

4

363

23.1

104.6

9

Buffalo Bills - After a fairly disappointing debut season in Buffalo, Mario Williams posted 13 sacks last year. He should be thrilled that the team is moving to a 4-3 defense, returning him to his natural position of defensive end. The loss of Kiko Alonso for the year is an enormous one. Brandon Spikes will be asked to carry this group of inexperienced linebackers. An even bigger question about this defense is in the secondary. Without Jarius Byrd there are a lot of moving parts and serious questions whether Buffalo has the horses to cover opposing receivers. This defenses success will be based on whether or not they can.

Denver Broncos - The Broncos have taken the "Dream Team" approach on defense, adding a variety of players to the unit. Demarcus Ware comes from Dallas to shore up the pass rush opposite Von Miller. Aqib Talib comes in from New England to be the number one corner, a position the Broncos desperately needed. T.J Ward comes in from Cleveland to provide the last line of defense against the run at safety. The Broncos hope second year player Sylvester Williams can improve and offer some upside in the middle of the defensive line. Danny Trevathan already made a huge leap last year, and should anchor the linebacking corps. The biggest question mark may be whether Miller can fully recover from his ACL injury before the start of the season, and what kind of shape he'll be in. There is talent all over this defense, young and old. If Jack Del Rio can mesh the talent into a cohesive unit, they could be a great complement to an already incredible offense.